The Value of Manual Can Openers

              

Lehman's best can opener which is named "Simply the Best"

 Our daughter who bought her own house last year is not fond of electrical appliances. Most things she has are manually operated.  She has a number of manual can openers.  Lately she has noticed that they break rather readily when she, or her boyfriend are opening things. She had forgotten that many of them have a lifetime warranty and they were thrown away before she found the guarantee.   She has broken a metal one made by Ecko, and her boyfriend broke the one made by Oneida, both normally good makes.
                 I suggested that she spring for one from Lehman's. This is the one I like the best, which seems to be holding up the longest. The page below also has reviews from other people. It's $15.95 and works for years.   This appears to be a Lehman's exclusive.
                The next step up from this one is an aluminum one which is designed for food service use at $118.00 and it is designed to be screwed to the counter to be immobile for #10 cans.  I need mine to be mobile. 
           If you have another manual can opener which has been functional for years, despite cans of dog food etc., please let us know.
                 

https://www.lehmans.com/p-497-our-best-can-opener.aspx

This is an Edlund can opener designed for food service.  It's very good but I don't open that much, and don't have counters that should have a permanently mounted opener like this.

If You Live Long Enough...

        

Yikes, I agree with him !

    Jimmy Carter was president until 1981.  While he was president, I didn't like him very much, but my mother did. She thought he was discerning, kind and insightful.  As the years have passed, I think Jimmy Carter with all his hard work on Habitat for Humanity (which is also a charity we support here) has done one of the best jobs of conducting himself after being president. He has been courageous enough to roll up his sleeves and do what needs to be done.  I think history may be a great deal kinder to Mr. Carter than we might have been just after his presidency.
            In July, Mr. Carter spoke in front of a gathering at something called the Atlantic Bridge, in Atlanta.  He not only expressed support for Edward Snowden, but was once again sharply critical of Barack Obama's anti-terror policies. Carter has called Barack Obama's policies "cruel and unusual", and has said that at a time when popular revolutions are sweeping the globe, that Mr. Obama is taking our nation back to a time with "drone strikes, indefinite detentions and warrantless wiretapping" where there has been a loss of freedom and human rights.  Carter says the US "no longer has a functioning democracy".
            I never thought I would live long enough to see Mr. Carter as the person with whom I agree !



References:

 http://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbasile/2013/07/19/jimmy-carter-may-actually-be-right-this-time/

http://dailycaller.com/2013/07/17/jimmy-carter-america-no-longer-has-a-functioning-democracy/

http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/17698-president-carter-says-america-has-no-functioning-democracy


Um, and according to the Russians, Carter did not say that the United States no longer has a func.......ing democracy.

The Swiss Example of Preparedness

           

Swiss basement emergency shelter with blast door.

        My husband's family is Swiss, and in part, because of this, we have a lot of Swiss friends.  Interestingly, a lot of these friends are engineers, like my husband, and so they have been helpful not only as good friends, but professionally as well.  I miss one couple who returned to Switzerland after their kids were grown, very much.  There are still a few Swiss friends we have locally.  Between the horses, my job, our family, the clinic, and other things I do, I haven't been keeping up with them as well as I would like.
                 The Swiss are remarkable people. They remained neutral during the war, and this meant that they needed to be extremely vigilant and well trained to avoid invasion. This helped to evolve a system in which all men and women, upon maturity provide service of several years to the Swiss military. ** All of them learn to handle a rifle and shoot very well, and are required to have weapons in their homes forevermore. There is also a military reserve that many Swiss adults belong to for much of their lives.  Although children in school do receive instruction in preparedness, the military teaches high level disaster preparedness to all of its soldiers.  In virtually every Swiss apartment building, and almost every home there, an emergency shelter exists in the basement, with food supplies.  There are also large shelters which are to be used in larger scale disasters. These larger underground shelters are required to hold a two year supply of food.  The food is rotated  and restocked by the military, by Swiss young adults who have chosen to work in national preparedness for their military service.
                The Swiss also send their peacekeeping forces all over the world to help to support the world's other fighting forces. They do also have professional soldiers who remain in the military for their working lifetimes.

Switzerland's countryside

                I don't know that in the US we need to draft everyone for three years worth of military and/or disaster preparedness service to the community, however it's nice to know that somewhere is taking the possibilities so seriously. Perhaps there are some things about disaster preparedness education we could apply to American life.
              This week I visited with one of our Swiss friends.  She had been in Switzerland visiting family, and I have been consumed with my own family and activities, so our catching up took a long time.  We finally got to the economy and politics.  I asked her if she thought that she too might return to Switzerland if dangerous or difficult times come to the US.  She thought for a moment and said, "No.  I am a citizen now, and this is where I live, and probably will die.  No matter what happens here, no matter how many freedoms we lose, this is my home now."   I admire her courage.  She and her husband could easily transfer back to a job with the company her husband worked for, which sent them here.  I am glad to have them here as calm and organized voices in preparedness, and as friends.


** In point of fact the references I used indicate that men are conscripted and that military service for women is in fact, voluntary. However, all of our female Swiss friends served in the military during their youth.


A prior post on Swiss preparedness:

http://rationalpreparedness.blogspot.com/2012/02/lessons-from-our-swiss-friends.html

A Quandary of Interest to Survivalists

Hey Bob, we're being evicted !

          Yesterday, according to The Blaze, the Oakwood Apartments in Castle Rock, Colorado has informed their tenants that if they own firearms, they will either need to relinquish those firearms, or move from the complex.  There are some people in the apartments who are on fixed incomes, and finding another apartment could be difficult. This is also a problem for those who are hinters and live in the apartments, not to mention those who carry concealed weapons permits.   The article is being reported on a number of blogs. Most people who have sympathies with the preparedness community are concerned about such a trend.
         I am of two minds about this.  On the one hand, we have the onerous trend that the places in which guns and people with guns may be shrinking, and that without these weapons, some of our weakest citizens may have difficulty defending themselves in dangerous times or emergencies.    On the other hand, I have been a landlord.  I also see the view of the landlord whose idea may be that I own this property, don't I have the right to tell those who might be my tenants that I want to limit things like domestic shootings, barricaded people in bathrooms with the SWAT team outside putting my apartment's address in the news and making it tougher to rent to nice families in the future ?    I can remember in the past that there was one tenant family we had for whom I would like to have restricted firearms while they were there.  All the others used good judgment with everything, and I think could have handled it.    This issue pits gun rights against property owners rights, and so it's an interesting issue to watch.
         Another issue is that if you remove your weapon from the safe in your apartment and give it to a relative or a mini-storage for safe keeping, doesn't it actually make it tougher for you to police and keep safe your gun. The farther your weapon is from you, the tougher it becomes to prevent others from its use and misuse.
         In general if you wish to keep your firearms, the best course may be to own your home. Of course, this does not mean that attempts will not be made to restrict firearm or ammunition ownership within your town or municipality.   I'm interested in hearing all of your views on this issue.  Thanks for all the great and supportive e-mails over the last few days or so.



Here are references for this blog post:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3052079/posts?page=85


http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/08/07/colorado-apartment-building-tells-tenants-they-have-to-get-rid-of-their-guns-or-leave/


         

Why is the TSA Taking on an Expanded Role ?

TSA agents

       In Obamaworld the IRS is doing such an incredible job that they are now going to be charged with the enforcement and collection for Obamacare.   Am I the only person who is uncomfortable with this ?   A portion of my return was audited last year and it held up my refund until September.
            Mr. Obama has also expanded his role. He acts as Congress when they are closed for the evening or the weekend.
            The latest governmental agency to have its role expanded is the TSA (Transportation Safety Administration)   This group became endeared to us by confiscating our teeny Swiss army knives, and our nailclippers, while poking us repeatedly in the sanitary napkin before boarding a plane.   The TSA, according to radio and other authorities, is now able to search people and cars without a warrant," for administrative purposes", at sporting events, festivals, and even rodeos.   These traveling TSA officers are not the ordinary TSA dolts, but special VIPR (yes, pronounced viper) teams, who are specially trained for "today's crowded and complex environments". This stands for Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response Squads. 
             It seems that the Obama Regime continues to expand government, particularly branches with intimidation powers, and to spend more and more money we don't have in order to monitor citizenry.  With each passing day, or should I say holiday, normal Americans have fewer and fewer rights.  What happens when there are more people working for the federal government than people with jobs who are able to pay taxes to support these jobs ?   There is a collapse.  At that time, would the regime take over, suspending all individual rights as stated in the Constitution, including the rights to own property ?



Just in case you are tempted to call me a "naysayer",  I am simply relating this information.  Much sharper minds than mine have expressed big concerns over these issues.


As always, here are the references:

From the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/06/us/tsa-expands-duties-beyond-airport-security.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

From Newser

http://www.newser.com/story/172090/the-tsa-now-guarding-music-festivals.html

Boston Business Journal

http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/mass_roundup/2013/08/tsa-searches.html


Death and Taxes Magazine

http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/203299/tsa-so-awesome-at-their-jobs-theyre-expanding-beyond-airports/



        What's next ?  Is Mr. Obama going to sign an emperor's edict which says that we all need to carry everything from schoolbooks to purse in clear plastic bags for purposes of easy search and seizure, while in the United States ?    Will Obamacare wave a wand and enable Registered Nurses to do abdominal surgeries at all VA Hospitals, following a quick internet module ?   I might be qualified to teach college level anatomy and physiology and nursing courses, but should that be expanded to teaching university level bridge building, architecture, automotive engineering,  or mining ?  Gosh, I hope not.



We need to tell our Congressmen and Senators that this is unacceptable.  They cannot guarantee our safety 100% of the time, at any financial cost.   If we can be searched at the county fair by the TSA, simply on a whim,  then how is America different from the early days of Adolph Hitler's Germany or from North Korea ?    Aren't these things that were done by the USSR before it fell in the early nineties ?

Call Me Cynical

         

(Picture found: channelingmyself.com )

        It's hard to be positive about the future in the United States, at least in the short term.  Almost each time there is a holiday, Mr. Obama pushes through an Executive Edict which limits or takes more of our Constitutional rights away, and almost no one except foreign news sources and folks in the blogosphere express concern.   Somehow, when our chief diplomat in Benghazi, Libya, his team, and the Special Forces staff came under attack, our present administration failed to send help and our former Secretary of State says while being questioned during a Congressional Inquiry, "What difference does it make now ?"  No one seems to be answering these questions.   Our federal government owes almost 17 trillion dollars and at some point when we can't pay just the interest, who knows what happens ?   Certainly, the US dollar will cease to be the World's Reserve Currency, as it has been since the British pound sterling occupied that slot until after the last world war.  When the dollar is no longer the World Reserve Currency, the US will no longer have the easy international credit it has enjoyed. If you think there's no industry here now, wait until then.  Meanwhile our own NSA is "capturing data" concerning our phone and internet use for later review. Even the Obamunists are starting to say, "Hey, wait a minute".
                All of a sudden, hold the line.  We have "an increase in terrorist chatter" which matches the amount we had before 9-11.  You mean we had an increase in chatter and didn't have an alert before 9-11 ?     All of a sudden, the US closes more than twenty of its embassies yesterday, because they have heard that the aspiring "terrorists are in position".    Now, the US government has decided to keep these embassies closed for a week.
               Am I being cynical or does it sound fishy to you ?   We have an awful lot of problems domestically. I just don't believe anything the current regime says anymore. The House and the Senate don't get points for honesty lately either. Where is their outrage for the things which have clearly gone on ?    We have Benghazi, anger over the actions of Attorney General Eric Holder, more dilutions of the Constitution, Mr. Obama planning more vacations for more millions, We have an IRS scandal. We have domestic anger and uncertainty over the NSA's "capture" of our private phone and internet data.  We have the swollen IRS poised to enforce Obamacare when everyone agrees that parts of it will be truly financially detrimental to the nation as a whole, and not too healthy for health care here either.  The IRS was doing so well with it's other assignment too.   We have Edward Snowden gaining temporary Russian asylum.  We have desperate attempts to furthur regulate and control guns in the US.  Even mainstream financial analysts think that Detroit may signal the beginning of a host of American cities declaring bankruptcy, and ultimately an American financial collapse.   Does it seem just a little convenient to you that a mythical terrorist attack is being watched for perhaps to reunite us under a common purpose, and to enable the Obama Regime to tighten the cuffs just a bit more, and take over more aspects of American life ?
  


       On a slightly different topic, this is a very popular video in Egypt.  Somewhat more suggestive than I thought Muslim women, even belly dancers, were.

Answering Your Questions

   

    I get a fair number of questions where people, often those who haven't really been following the blog and simply need a question answered, send an e-mail.  Sometimes this prompts me to do an entire post, and other times, a quick answer makes more sense.  Today I am simply going to answer some of the questions which surface on occasion, some of which are actually answered in other longer posts which came prior.


Q:/ How many silver 1 oz. ingots or rounds do I need to pay for my kid's college ?

No one can tell you that, or should try.  I will tell you what our financial advisor says to us.  Everyone should work hard to diversify any holdings they have.  We should first find a job. We should set up a savings account where a small amount goes to savings with each paycheck.  We should do the same with a retirement account, even if all we can sock away at the beginning is five dollars a paycheck.  We should have as a goal for the future, a balance of some real estate, a cushion of savings which should be 3-6 months of your family's expenses. (Many people think that should now be a year.)  It is my opinion that we should stock a years worth of freexe dried food for our families (again, gathered slowly and this is a goal)   Some gold and silver is a good way to diversify a portfolio, but it's not smart for everyone, so you should consider this carefully.  I give some silver as a gift to kids on birthdays, but I tend to make these numismatic coins also. I don't understand the stock market well and I am fearful of it, however my father always did well there. The stock market is a viable means to diversifying your assets.  Remember, you can invest in the things which are in demand in a downed world economy, you don't have to invest in companies which make luxury goods.
     I don't know if you will ever be able to pay for college using silver rounds, however my county is considering whether residents should be able to pay their property taxes in gold.


Q:/ Will D-Mannose work for my recurrent urinary tract infection which cultures out as proteus mirabilis ?

No, D-Mannose is remarkable in that it makes it almost impossible for E-coli microorganisms to stick to the lining of the urinary tract. Since most urinary tract infections are caused by E-coli, it makes a big different in those types of recurrent infections.  However, it has no ability to impede the progress of a urinary tract infection which has cultured out proteus mirabilis, klebsiella enterobacter or any others.
      I suppose that if you had a uti where both e-coli and proteus were contaminants of the urinary tract then there could be some perceived improvement, but the proteus uti would remain, and would need to be attended to.


Q:/ Did anyone ever find Jonny Dorey, missing from Virginia Commonwealth University, or Ian Burnet, missing from a trip to NYC while in his senior year at VCU ?

No, both of them remain missing without a trace.


Q:/ Has anyone located Lauren Spierer, also missing ?

 Yes, Lauren Spierer remains missing also.


Q:/ Do you really believe that the United States could be headed for an economic collapse of some type ?

I am increasingly of the opinion that it probably cannot be avoided as the President and the Senate appear not to be able to rein in spending. Seventeen trillion dollars in debt is an incredible amount for our nation to owe.

Q:/   Has anyone ever been arrested or indicted in the murder of Keith Ratliff, a 32 year of business partner of FPS Russia, aka Kyle Myers ?

 My understanding is that despite the fact that Kyle was out of town when the murder occurred, he was questioned rather strenuously by federal authorities before they realized he is not involved.   There has still been no arrest in the case of Keith Ratliff's murder.  Keith was also a husband and a father of young children.

Q:/ What ever happened in the Eileen Hart case ?

Because anything can happen in a court of law (particularly in New Jersey),  Eileen chose to plead guilty on a far reduced charge of misdemeanor disturbing the peace.  She therefore cannot be recharged or retried in this case, in which she was originally charged with "Making Terroristical Threats".  She did get her guns back.          She still has substantial legal fees which was probably the reason she was charged in the first place. (Sometimes people are charged knowing full well they will spend a huge sum defending themselves and this will make them a less effective adversary on other issues in the future.)  You can contribute to the Eileen Hart Legal Defense Fund.     Anything helps.


Q:/  Do you take dietary supplements and if so;  what do you take ?

Everyone should run whatever they plan to take as a supplement, by their doctor.  Supplements have real value and can be detrimental depending upon your issues.   For example, echinacea really works at arming the immune system, but if you have an autoimmune disorder, you are arming it, which is a very negative thing to be doing.
        I do take supplements which are all approved by my doctors.   I take a generic Centrum-like multi-vitamin.  I take some fairly low dose calcium citrate.  I take Coenzyme Q-10 400 mg. daily.  I take taurine, and supplemental magnesium daily.  I also have a shockingly excellent diet, and I don't smoke, don't drink and never have. I eat a lot of fruit, a lot of cabbage, and a little bit of chocolate whenever I can.

Q:/   How is the son that you and your husband adopted several years ago ?

 He is almost 18, and is in the throes of deciding whether he should attend college and commute from home. Kids who are adopted as teens often have a protracted launch and find this a challenging time. He is no exception. Although life transitions are often bumpier and tougher for them, he gets through, and does the right thing most of the time. I have no doubt that he will find his way.


Q:/  What would surprise people to know about you ?

 I will admit to being a lousy cook, and I hate to cook.   Fortunately, my husband is a great cook. and so are all four of my sons.   Our daughter is a good cook and is developing quite a repertoire. .  I don't mind cleaning up after anyone else cooks, even at Thanksgiving..  I'll bet you have guessed that I don't much enjoy proofreading either.


Q:/  Do you and your family still like your Simple Pump ?

Yes !   Although we are certainly not paid to endorse it, and don't have a financial interest in it, we adore it.  Ours has been installed to pressurize the water system in our house in the event of a power outage, so all we need to do it go out, pump it for a little while, and we have water in the house.   We can also change a setting on the outside of the pump and pump water at that location too.  I have said in the past that it probably is the single most important action we took here in terms of preparedness. The Simple Pump was worth the money and those efforts

Our experience with The Simple Pump